This week in history from The Marysville Globe archives

10- years ago 1996

10- years ago 1996

After months of heated debate over the Smokey Point area, Marysville and Arlington have reached a comprehensive agreement over where the two cities will grow and who will provide the residents with water, sewer and fire services. This sets the foundation for a new era of working together, said Marysville City Administrator David Zabell. The agreements give a twist to the annexation of the Smokey Point area to the city of Arlington, which the Snohomish County Boundary Review Board approved last year. Part of the annexation property is now outside of Arlingtons Urban Growth Area, even though the Arlington City Council already voted to annex it. Arlington may ask the BRB to reconsider its decision. It also changes future service for the planned Navy housing project south of Smokey Point, which Arlington officials said two weeks ago they would provide with utilities. The Navy housing project now falls in Marysvilles utility service area. The fine print still needs to be hammered out. The two cities havent yet agreed on development standards for the south Arlington area, Arlingtons wholesale purchase of water from Marysville, or a plan for future annexations, for example. Many property owners in the Smokey Point area, held up from development projects by the utility freeze between the two cities for the last nine months, are expected to come forward once again with projects, Marysville city officials predicted. Arlington Mayor Bob Kraski called it a good agreement with many compromises on both sides. One unfortunate point of the agreement, he said, is that Bruce and Becky Foster, as well as several other property owners, were left out of the Arlington Urban Growth Area. The Fosters were initiators and spokespersons for the Smokey Point annexation to Arlington. Major details of the settlement include: 1. Utility Service: The cities agreed that Marysville would serve water and sewer to the Smokey Point area even the parts within Arlingtons city limits and urban growth area. Zabell stressed that Marysville is not agreeing to provide utilities to all applicants who cant annex to the city, just applicants in that area. Arlington will be charged the same utility rates as the areas in unincorporated Snohomish County, which is about 25 percent above in-city rates, Zabell said. The cities also agreed that Marysville may sell its utility system in the Island Crossing area to Arlington. 2. Fire and EMS Service: The cities, along with Marysville Fire District, agreed that Arlington would contract with the Marysville Fire District to provide fire and emergency medical service to Arlingtons share of Smokey Point during the next 10 years. 3. Land Use: The cities agreed to coordinate their land-use planning in the area between the two cities, including the Arlington Airport. 4. Lawsuits: The cities and the Marysville Fire District agreed to resolve and dismiss all lawsuits between them. 5. Urban Growth Area: The cities agreed on their urban growth areas, subject to the approval of Snohomish County. The two cities urban growth areas once overlapped. Now, Arlingtons UGA extends up to Island Crossing, no further west than Interstate 5, and no further south than 164th Street NE. Marysville UGA touches Arlingtons along 164th Street NE, and includes part of the Lakewood area, following the Burlington Northern railroad tracks south toward the city. The two cities still need to agree of urban growth areas and utility service for the areas north of Lakewood and east of 67th Avenue NE. Official plan to continue negotiations with the county executive and council.

25 years ago 1981

Twenty-six cars of a 91-car freight train derailed near the entrance to Pacific Grinding Wheels north Marysville plant about
11:30 p.m. Monday. Seven of the freight cars carried either chlorine or Liquid Petroleum Gas. Miraculously, there were no injuries. The seven tank cars carrying the dangerous cargo had some of the undercarriage and wheels ripped from the cars. The tanks themselves were either tipped on their side and buried in the earth or among the wreckage of the following boxcars that were piled up adjacent to Highway 99 near 132nd Street. Twisted iron track was torn from the wooden ties as the 26 freight cars skidded and smashed into a pile. Officials do not know what caused the accident. This was the worst train accident here since a 35-car southbound train rammed a stopped train in Marysville back in 1969, demolishing the Marysville depot. Burlington Northern Railway officials were rushed to the scene, as were firemen from Midway-Ziebell District 12 stations, Sheriff and State Patrol personnel. Immediate action was taken to evacuate the area; Sheriffs deputies and search and rescue volunteers were called in to go door-to-door to notify residents to leave their homes. People left with little hesitation, walking youngsters and taking only the clothing they wore. Nearly 500 headed for Marysville where the Junior High School was made an emergency evacuation center. Others went to stay with friends or relatives. Roads from 116th Street NE out to 155th Street NE from the I-5 freeway east to Shoultes Road were quickly blocked as residents fled. District 12 Fire Chief Dave Ronning noted that despite a heavy rain, winds were predicted in the 20-25 mph range. An emergency response team set up headquarters at the Midway Station, where County Sheriffs North Detachment is also located. Called in were people from the Department of Emergency Services, Marysville Fire Chief Dick Murdock, and Fire Chiefs from Districts 1, 7, 11, Edmonds, as well as State Patrol officers. With evacuation the first order, those in attendance concentrated on who to deal with the damaged, and dangerous cargo in the tank cars. It was daybreak before a large railroad crane and new rail could be brought in for the laying of new track and the hazardous ordeal of cleaning up the mess. School personnel and community citizens and agencies have worked to ensure people had places to go and food to eat. Approximately 500 people spent Monday night and Tuesday morning at the Marysville Junior High School cafeteria, where mats and cots had been set up. Another 100 were housed in the wrestling room. By early Tuesday morning the numbers had dwindled to less than 100. Darrell DeGross, MJH vice principal, said many had made contact with families and friends and some had left for work. Basically were providing facilities and feeding them, he said. Were preparing lunch for them now. People have donated food and were using the food we would have used for the MJH students today. He said churches, citizens and companies had also donated food and goods. DeGross said there was plenty of room and since the school was free of students, there was no problem. Supt. Dick Huselton decided early Tuesday to close all of the Marysville public schools. While school personnel were trying to make things comfortable for the evacuees, those who were forced to leave their homes sat and wondered what would happen next.

55 years ago 1951

The sparking of a shorted wire in the window of the Elite Cleaners Sunday evening was noticed and reported by Police Officer Warren Moore, thus averting what could have been a damaging affair. The fire, a connection for a window neon sign, was seen sparking as Moore was making a routine check of the business area. The fire department responded and inspected the premises. No damage other than the charred electric cord and some scorched paint was reported. Within a few minutes the fire department was called out again, as a car caught fire in the south end of town.